Assessment of beliefs and attitudes towards benzodiazepines using machine learning based on social media posts: an observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed drugs; however, their prolonged use can lead to tolerance, dependence, and other adverse effects. Despite these risks, long-term use remains common, presenting a public health concern. This study aims to explore the beliefs and opinions held by the public regarding benzodiazepines, as understanding these perspectives may provide insights into their usage patterns.

Methods

We collected public tweets published in English between January 1, 2019, and October 31, 2020, that mentioned benzodiazepines. The content of each tweet and the characteristics of the users were analyzed using a mixed-method approach, including manual analysis and semi-supervised machine learning.

Results

Over half of the Twitter users highlighted

SUBMITTER: de Anta L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11462674 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature